Atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki

The atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki were two major events near the end of World War II. They happened in Japan in August 1945. The bombs used a new type of weapon called an atomic bomb. An atomic bomb releases energy from changes inside atoms. This energy creates a very large explosion.

The first bombing took place on August 6, 1945. The city of Hiroshima was hit by an atomic bomb dropped from a United States airplane named Enola Gay. The bomb was called Little Boy. It exploded above the city. Large areas were destroyed in a short time. Many buildings were damaged or completely destroyed.

Three days later, on August 9, 1945, a second atomic bomb was dropped on the city of Nagasaki. This bomb was called Fat Man. It was dropped from another United States airplane. Hills around Nagasaki limited some of the damage, but large parts of the city were still destroyed. Many people were affected in both cities.

The bombings caused immediate destruction. They also caused long-term effects. Many people were injured by heat and by radiation. Radiation is energy that can harm living cells. Some people became ill weeks or months later. The full number of deaths is difficult to measure because injuries continued to cause deaths after the bombings.

At the time of the bombings, Japan was already weakened by years of war. After the attack on Nagasaki, Japan announced that it would surrender. A surrender is when a country agrees to stop fighting. Japan officially surrendered on September 2, 1945. This brought World War II to an end.

The atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki remain important historical events. They marked the first use of nuclear weapons in war. After 1945, many countries studied atomic energy. International discussions about nuclear weapons and their control also increased in the years that followed.